A PlanB MP3 would work without the audio decoder and the FM radio, instead leaving a basic mp3 player with start/stop functionality that also displays songs on the graphical LCD and has hands free changing of songs using the IR sensor. The verplank diagram for this planB mp3 has been shown below. This should be feasible to implement since it only requires dealing with components and functionality that we have already dealt with in previous labs compared to communicating with the FM radio or operating 2 decoders simultaneously via one arduino, which is unchartered territory.

Project Timeline:

5/23 - basic mp3 funtionality based on Lab6, can just play the sine test

5/27 - get player working with graphical LCD and microSD card so that songs can be red off the card and displayed on the LCD while the decoder plays them

5/30 - add IR sensor for hands free changing of songs, pause/play functionality buttons, try to set up 2 decoders and play different songs at the same time

(The FM radio at this point does not seem a feasible option given the time constraints)

6/2 - Finish up on the design and basic enclosure

Technology Challenges:

1) Getting the IR sensor to work correctly, especially to work at 100% accuracy in detecting signal spikes caused solely by hand movements and not some other noise.

2) Experimenting with 2 decoders controlled by the same arduino to see if they are able to output valid signals to the left and right pin of the audiojack simultaneously

3) Getting the graphical LCD display to work correctly with the microSD card and the arduino, given that some of the LCD's have very loose connections and occasionally fail to display the content.

Critical Components of proposed mp3

Verplank diagram of PlanB mp3